Her first album ‘Mila mou apla’ (‘ Just speak to me’) was a collaboration with new singers Manolis Lidakis and Melina Tanagri, based on songs composed by Taki Bougas with lyrics from Antonis Andrikaki. With every following album, Dimou’s popularity increased, thanks to her modern, natural and flexible interpretations, combining the more traditional Greek roots with western pop style.
In 1986 she collaborated with Lakis Papadopoulos on her album ‘Kata bathos alepou’ (‘Basically fox’). With her by that time already highly acclaimed husky, sultry voice she sang both ballads and pop-rock songs. In this periode of time, she collaborated with famous artists like Georgios Dalaras and Mikis Theodorakis.
Her 1988 album ‘Prosopika’ (‘Personal’), recorded with G. Spanos, was both artistically as commercially a great success. In the next decade Dimou keeps releasing new albums regularly, always combining Greek folk music with western arrangements and world music influences. In 1990 she released the album ‘Pathis’ (‘Passions’), on which she chanted byzantine hymns on a requiem by D. Papostolou.
In the second half of the nineties, popularity and album sales decreased. A new generation of Greek pop singers seemed to have taken her place. Dimou seemed to be stuck between Greek folk and modern pop, unable to rejuvenate herself. Around the start of the new millennium, inspiration and creativity seemed to have returned, resulting in more frequent album releases and collaborations with international artists like Alpha Blondy, Salif Keita, The Christians, Gipsy Kings and Linton Kwesi Johnson.
In her almost thirty year spanning career, Eleni Dimou recorded more than 20 albums, nine went gold and three platinum in Greece. She is married to producer and engineer Akis Golfidis and the couple have a son named Anthony.
O Erotas
Eleni Dimou Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Θέλει λίγη φασαρία θέλει πίστη και απιστία
Θέλει νύχτες ιδρωμένες θέλει πάθος και φωτιά
Θέλει ανάσες ενωμένες και στο άγνωστο βουτιά
Ο έρωτας στα όνειρα υπάρχει και όνειρα γεννάει μια ζωή
Εκείνη που δεν προσμένεις θα ′ρθει και ξαφνικά θα φύγει ένα πρωί
Ο έρωτας στα όνειρα υπάρχει και όνειρα γεννάει μια ζωή
Ο έρωτας θέλει θυσίες για να αντέχει στους καιρούς
Θέλει και ακροβασίες και όσα ακόμα βάζει ο νους
Ο έρωτας κάνει ζαβολιές κάνει ανήθικες προτάσεις
Ρίχνει βέλη στις καρδιές και άντε τρέξε να τον πιάσεις
Ο έρωτας στα όνειρα υπάρχει και όνειρα γεννάει μια ζωή
Εκείνη που δεν προσμένεις θα 'ρθει και ξαφνικά θα φύγει ένα πρωι
Ο έρωτας στα όνειρα υπάρχει και όνειρα γεννάει μια ζωή
Εκείνη που δεν προσμένεις θα' ′ρθει και ξαφνικά θα φύγει ένα πρωί
The lyrics to Eleni Dimou's song O Erotas (Love) reveal the complexity and unpredictability of love. The first verse states that love requires imagination, pranks, and humor, but also some noise, belief, and unfaithfulness. It demands sweaty nights, passion, and fire, and united breaths that take a dive into the unknown. The second verse reiterates that love exists in dreams, and dreams give birth to a lifetime. Sometimes it surprises us, arriving and leaving suddenly, unexpectedly. The third verse states that love requires sacrifices to withstand the times. It involves daredevil stunts and everything else that the mind can think of. Love can play tricks, make immoral propositions, and shoot arrows into the hearts, leaving people running to catch it.
The song lays down the truth about love that transcends pure emotions, intense passion, and fervent desires. The complexity of love goes far beyond the happy ending that most people hope for or even dream of. It exposes love in its many forms and how it does not always have to end up like a fairy tale but instead can end up being short-lived, painful, or life-changing.
Line by Line Meaning
Ο έρωτας θέλει φαντασία θέλει φάρσες θέλει αστεία
Love wants imagination, jokes, and humor.
Θέλει λίγη φασαρία θέλει πίστη και απιστία
It wants a little bit of noise, faith and infidelity.
Θέλει νύχτες ιδρωμένες θέλει πάθος και φωτιά
It wants sweaty nights, passion, and fire.
Θέλει ανάσες ενωμένες και στο άγνωστο βουτιά
It wants united breaths and dive into the unknown.
Ο έρωτας στα όνειρα υπάρχει και όνειρα γεννάει μια ζωή
Love exists in dreams and creates dreams throughout life.
Εκείνη που δεν προσμένεις θα ′ρθει και ξαφνικά θα φύγει ένα πρωί
The one you least expect will come and suddenly leave one morning.
Ο έρωτας θέλει θυσίες για να αντέχει στους καιρούς
Love requires sacrifices to withstand the times.
Θέλει και ακροβασίες και όσα ακόμα βάζει ο νους
It wants acrobatics and whatever else the mind can come up with.
Ο έρωτας κάνει ζαβολιές κάνει ανήθικες προτάσεις
Love makes fools of us and makes immoral proposals.
Ρίχνει βέλη στις καρδιές και άντε τρέξε να τον πιάσεις
It shoots arrows into the hearts and good luck catching them.
Writer(s): Giorgos Mouzakis, Tasoula Thomaidou
Contributed by Kaelyn M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.